Chamber Music Program

When you choose a chamber music workshop, especially for the first time, many questions may arise. What music will I be assigned? Whom will I be playing with? How much (or how little) free-lance ensemble playing can I do? The good news for all attendees of the Conference is that you have several options for personalizing your chamber music experience, including:

Choosing standard coaching, intensive coaching, or auditing.

Choosing a large or small session.

Requesting a particular piece or pieces to work on, possibly with a pre-formed group of players.

Choosing from a variety of special coaching opportunities.

Participating in other musical activities.

You can choose whether to participate in coached ensembles, and if so, whether to receive intensive coaching.

In both standard and intensive formats, the coaching program features:

Careful matching of groups by interest and ability.

Assignment of works several weeks before the Conference, allowing you time for preparation. Participants are expected to have practiced their parts and studied the score by the time they arrive at the Conference.

Standard Coaching (Weeks 1, 2, and 3) — Participants who choose the standard coaching program are assigned four different chamber works per week and are coached on each piece for three mornings or afternoons. This coaching format leaves ample time for informal ensemble playing. Weeks 1, 2, and 3 vary in instrumentation, enrollment, and special coaching opportunities, as described below.

Intensive Coaching (Intensive Week) — The coaching format of the Intensive Week, also known as Week 0, is for participants who place a higher priority on coaching and who want to work on pieces in greater depth. If you choose intensive coaching, you’ll work on three chamber works (rather than four) and thus have more coaching hours per piece. Coaching periods include two evenings. You’ll also have scheduled rehearsal time, during which you and your fellow ensemblists can assimilate the input from your coaching sessions.

Auditing (All Weeks) — Participants who want to play chamber music without being coached can enroll as auditors. During coaching periods, a special coordinator helps auditors form informal chamber music reading groups with other auditors, as well as with guest faculty members. Auditors may also choose to audit coaching sessions rather than play. Outside of coaching, auditors have the same opportunities as coached participants to play and to enjoy all other Conference activities. The Conference seeks an instrumental balance among the auditors each week.

If you’re looking for a quieter session with fewer participants, consider the Intensive Week or Week 1, which usually enroll between 40 and 50 participants. If you like being around a lot of people and relish the idea of playing as much as you can with as many people as possible, you may prefer Weeks 2 and 3, which enroll 80 to 90 participants.

A major avenue for influencing your experience at the Conference is through coaching requests. After your application is accepted, you can submit a request form to describe your preferences regarding personnel and repertoire for your coached groups. The Conference welcomes and considers your input to an extent not matched in any other workshop.

Pre-formed groups — You can make a detailed request that specifies the piece and the players and suggests one or more coaches. In the Intensive Week, participants can pre-form one of their three groups and can request a second pre-formed group, at lower priority, which will be accommodated if possible. In Weeks 1, 2, and 3, participants can pre-form two of their four groups.

General requests — You are also encouraged to express general preferences for your coached groups (for example, "I'd like be coached on Beethoven opus 132", "I'm interested in working with one of the following coaches: ...", or "I'd like to work on a piano trio").

Of course, not every request can be satisfied, but a remarkable level of consideration is given to all requests, and they are honored as much as possible.

Composer’s Forum (Weeks 1, 2, and 3) — In each of Weeks 1, 2, and 3, the Conference invites a Composer-in-Residence and a Composition Fellow to write works specifically for a group of Conference participants. If you are interested in working on a contemporary piece with its composer, you can request that one of your four assignments be such a group. The group will be coached by the Composer-in-Residence and will perform the commissioned work on a Participant Recital. See the Composers’ Forum page for more information.

Ensembles with Joel Berman as player/coach (Weeks 1, 2, and 3) — If you would like to work on a string quartet or another chamber work with faculty violinist Joel Berman as player/coach, you can request that this be one of your four assignments. This opportunity may be available to auditors as well as participants.

Piano-four-hands (Weeks 1, 2, and 3) — Pianists may request to be coached in piano-four-hands literature. A member of the piano faculty will work with two pairs of participant pianists during one coaching session. (Contingent on sufficient interest from participants.)

Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
Winds: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn
Piano
Harp (Weeks 2 and 3 only)

Participant enrollment for each instrument is limited to ensure a balanced program.

Chamber Music Program at a Glance